Automatic musical instrument.



W, F. BAYER; AUTOMATIC MUSIGAL'INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.15, 1908.

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W. F. BAYER. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLIGATION FILED IEB.15,1908.

Pafented'May 30, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

WILLIAM F. BAYER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE CHASE 85 BAKERCOMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed February 15, 1908. Serial No. 416,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BAYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Musical Instruments,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the main bellows or pumps and thebellows-actuating pedals of pneumatic pianos and piano-players.

One of the objects of the invention is to so construct the main bellowsthat it can be readily removed from the instrument without disturbingother parts, to facilitate repairing it and afford easy access to thestrings for renewing them.

A further object is to improve the main bellows in other respects with aview of pern'iitting convenient access to the pump or feeder-springs forrenewing the same and providing a strong stop for the movable boards ofthe feeders.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is asectional front elevation of an auto-piano embodying the invention. Fig.2 is a rear view of the main bellows removed from the case. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section in line 3-3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4t and 5 are transversevertical sections of the lower portions of the instrument showingdifferent positions of the folding pedals.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

A indicates the stationary air chamber or reservoir of thebellows-structure, B the customary pumps, bellows or feeders connectedtherewith and preferably attached to the rear side thereof, and G theusual pressure equalizers or bellows attached to the front side of saidreservoir.

D indicates upright end pieces secured to and extending upwardly fromthe top of the air reservoir A, and E indicates a board or panel securedat its ends to the inner sides of said end-pieces and preferablyextending from the top of said reservoir to the underside of thekey-table F, but disconnected from the latter.

G indicates a motor-governor and H an expression governor, which partsare preferably mounted on the front side of the panel E. These governorsform no part of my present invention and may be differently supportedand arranged, if desired.

The reservoir A and the panel E are removably fitted between a pair offixed uprights or standards I secured by angle-irons 2' or othersuitable fastenings to the bottom of the piano-case and the underside ofthe key table, as shown. In the preferred construction shown, saidreservoir and panel are secured to these posts by removable pins j, jpassing through the latter and entering holes in the reservoir and theend-pieces D.

K indicates a stop-rail for the movable boards of the feeders B,arranged horizontally on the rear side of the reservoir A and preferablysupported at its ends by arms or brackets is projecting rearwardly fromthe reservoir A and at or near its center by upper and lower brackets orbraces 7a, 70 secured to the reservoir. This stop-rail extends from endto end of the reservoir and carries stop-blocks Z, preferably two foreach feeder as best shown in Fig. 8, these blocks having a facing Z offelt or other suitable material.

M indicates the usual closing springs of the feeders, the branches ofwhich are secured respectively to the front side of the stop-rail K andthe movable boards of the feeders. This rail forms a strong stop for thefeeders and a rigid support for their closing-springs.

In addition to the upper removable pins 7', j, similar lower pins j arepreferably employed, the latter passing through holes in the uprights Iinto the rail-brackets 70, as best shown in Fig. 3.

N indicates the feeder pedals which are hinged at their lower front endsto a base or cross bar 0. This bar is rigidly secured at its ends to thefree front ends of a pair of vertically-swinging arms p pivoted at theirrear ends to the air reservoir A by horizontal pins 79 so that thesearms together with the cross bar and pedals can be lowered to the normalposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or raised and folded out of the way tothe position shown in Fig. 5. The parts may be held in this folded position by a spring 9 attached to a stationary part of thebellows-structure and interlocking with the cross bar 0. The rear endsof the pedals are connected by links 1" with the front ends of arms 8rigidly secured at their rear ends to the movable boards of the feedersB and extending forwardly under the air reservoir A. By thisconstruction, upon folding the hinged pedal-carrying frame composed ofthe arms 22 and cross bar 0, the pedals are inverted and folded to theposition shown in Fig. 5, their rear ends clearing the front wall of theair reservoir during this movement and preventing marring of thereservoir which is usually poli shed on its front side. In their foldedposition, the pedals and the arms 7) stand substantially parallel withand adjacent to the reservoir which latter is preferably provided withrubber-stops a.

By constructing the main bellows as here in shown and described, thesame together with the attached pedal frame and pedals can be bodilyremoved from the pianocase after withdrawing the pins j, j, j enablingthe bellows and attached parts to be conveniently repaired and alsogiving free access to the strings for renewing them. Thebellows-structure is as readily replaced and quickly secured in positionby simply re placing said pins.

In order to permit access to some of the strings without the necessityof removing the bellows, the panel E is preferably provided with acomparatively long hand hole T; and

to render the feeder-springs M easily accestit sible without disturbingother parts, the air reservoir is provided between the pedals with ahand hole T I claim as my invention In an instrument of the characterde- 515 scribed, the combination of an air reservoir having a hand-holein its lower portion, feeders arranged on the rear side of saidreservoir, a stop-rail carried by the reservoir and extending across themovable boards of said feeders, springs interposed be tween said railand said movable boards and arranged adjacent to said hand-hole, and abrace connecting said rail with the reservoir and arranged between saidsprings.

li'ituess my hand this llth day of February, 1908.

lVlLLLtM F. EASTER.

Vitnesses C. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

